All that someone has to do to get me to look at a book is to put chocolate in the title, so when I was at the library the other day and saw a cookbook called, Chocolate, Chocolate you can imagine what happened.

The pictures are beautiful, and I plan on making several of the recipes before it is time to take the book back.

This cake is perfect with coffee in the afternoon or as a finish to dinner. It is homey and good, doing duty as an after school snack or an elegant dessert depending on the plate you put it on.

I made a few changes to the original. I left out the almonds because I had none, and added 1/2 tsp almond extract. I used dark chocolate chunks instead of milk chocolate chips…and I used all all purpose flour instead of part cake flour. I am writing it as I made it rather than the exact recipe, but I highly recommend this book.

The batter was fantastic..always a good sign..and the resulting cake was so moist it was amazing.

Try this to quiet the chocolate monster.

Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cake

2 3/4 c flour

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 c Heath toffee bits

1 c dark chocolate chunks

2 sticks softened unsalted butter

1 1/4 c sugar

3/4 c packed brown sugar

3 eggs

2 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 c sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray.

Cream the butter for 3 minutes. Add half the sugar and beat 2 minutes, add the rest of the sugar beat 2 minutes.

Add the brown sugar and beat for 2 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time beating thoroughly after each addition

Blend in extracts.

Add flour mixture in three parts and sour cream in two parts, starting with flour mixture. Stir in the toffee and chocolate chunks.

Spoon into the bundt pan and bake for 1 hours. Let cool 10 minutes, invert on cake rack and cool. Remove from pan.

About 12-16 servings

Post from: Baking Delights

O.k..it is week 5 of the Christmas Cookie (and baking) Countdown! I know alot of people have commented on their blogs about how weird I am to be doing Christmas now. Yeah, I DO check my links.

That’s o.k…I have alot of Christmas to do, and my life is busy. Really busy. I will even be as bold to say that it is busier than most. Preparing for Christmas early allows me to have a peaceful, stress free holiday with my family, and to be generous with my gifts. I enjoy not having to rush around, but to sit with the kids all afternoon and make decorations or watch a holiday movie. So, that’s why I start early.

Amazing Rum Bars 

Makes about 24

1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons rum
2/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 c toffee chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Melted chocolate chips for drizzling

Confectioners Sugar for dusting

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Sift together the flour, spices, sugar and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and eggs until creamy. Beat in milk and rum. Gradually stir flour mixture into egg mixture. Stir in chips and nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool.   Drizzle with melted chocolate.  Just before serving dust with confectioners sugar.  Cut into 24 bars.

* If you wish you can sprinkle the bars with extra rum while they are hot..not too much!

Post from: Baking Delights

My dad was a banana addict. He was born in 1917 and grew up during those hard years which culminated in WW2. As you can imagine, living in a rural area in Michigan he didn’t have many bananas. Well he made up for it when he became an adult. The man had at least one banana every day of his life that I can remember and passed his banana infatuation on to his grandchildren, who can make a case of bananas disappear in one day.

These are excellent. I used a recipe from That’s My Home and made a few small changes. I am not totally happy with the texture, to me it is too cakey for what I am looking for. Next time I am going to leave out the leavening and see what happens- if I get a chewier result. In any case these disappeared rapidly.

Use ripe but firm bananas in this. You don’t want the overripe mush that is perfect for good banana bread. The banana needs to be deliciously ripe yet still hold it’s shape in a small dice.

1-1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder (I am going to omit this next time for a chewier brownie)
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c unsalted butter

1-3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1 tbs. vanilla
3 eggs
1-1/4 C.Heath toffee bits or 6 chopped heath bars
1-1/4 C chopped pecans
1 C. finely diced banana (1/4-inch cubes)
1/2 c milk chocolate chips for drizzling.
Line a 13×9″ pan with parchment or waxed paper. Grease and flour paper and sides of pan.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy. Add vanilla. Beat in eggs briefly, one at a time, until blended.

Add flour mixture a little at a time, beating on low speed just until blended. By hand, stir in 1 cup toffee bits, 1 c pecans, and banana.

Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 350° F. for 30 minutes .

Make Praline Glaze:

melt 1/4 c unsalted butter in a sauce pan and stir in 1/4 c brown sugar, whisking until it loses it’s graininess and thickens. Spread over Blondies, then sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 c toffee bits and 1′4 c chopped pecans. Melt 1/2 c milk chocolate chips and drizzle over all.

Post from: Baking Delights